First Workshop on New Media Art Archiving

The network of international New Media Art Archives is pleased to announce the Call for Proposals for the the first Workshop on New Media Art Archiving (WNMAA) to be held from February 5th to 8th, 2025, at the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany

Since 2020, the annual Summit on New Media Art Archiving (SNMAA) has become an important forum for advancing the preservation of new media art archives through open collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Building on the discussions and knowledge exchanged at previous Summits, this workshop at ZKM will adopt a hands-on approach to addressing key debates and exploring innovative methods and technologies in New Media Art archiving.  The workshop seeks to deepen interdisciplinary collaboration and foster the creation of a globally interconnected network of new media art archives.

Background

Preserving media arts and their contexts is essential for safeguarding cultural heritage and ensuring that future generations can access and appreciate this unique form of artistic expression. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of online archives dedicated to New Media Art,  yet these repositories largely operate in isolation. Despite ongoing efforts to preserve and disseminate information about new media art artists and artworks, the lack of interconnectivity between these archives presents a significant challenge.  The New Media Art Archiving initiative began with initial discussions in 2018 and took shape in a series of four summits in Montreal, Barcelona, Paris, and Brisbane over the following 5 years. The current network includes both independent researchers and representatives from international archives, such as the ACM SIGGRAPH History Archive, Archive of Digital Art (ADA), Ars Electronica, FILE (Electronic Language International Festival), ISEA Symposium Archives, MEMODUCT, and ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe.

Goal

Building on the discussions from the Summit on New Media Art Archiving series regularly held at the ISEA symposia, this workshop will convene experts, practitioners, and stakeholders to explore strategies and best practices for globally connecting new media art archives. The goal is to establish a comprehensive knowledge-base and foster a network of experts dedicated to advancing New Media Art archiving. We hope to develop solutions that will lead to the creation of a framework for a globally connected network of archives.

Call for Participation, Interest, Experts, and Experience

The Workshop on New Media Art Archiving invites contributions from individuals interested in connecting archives. We seek submissions from academics, archivists, technologists, and practitioners across diverse fields, encouraging the sharing of expertise and experiences.   

Connecting People and Archival Data

We invite submissions with particular emphasis on the following themes:

• Strategy Development: Exploring diverse options and implementation models to develop an inclusive, participatory system of connecting archives and enhancing communication between archivists and community members.
• AI, Blockchain, Emerging Technologies and Challenges: Exploring new emerging possibilities for the development and dissemination of archives thanks to new technologies. Addressing the technological challenges associated with open knowledge-base systems and other technologies for connecting new media art archives.
• Metadata and Documentation: Analysing the most recent developments and challenges of comprehensive metadata and documentation standards for effectively connecting media art networks.
• Access and Accessibility: Examining strategies for enhancing access to archived media artist information while ensuring its long-term preservation and security.
• Idea Development: Engaging in teamwork to implement strategies and test possibilities. The ultimate goal is to develop a prototype.

Dates and Location of the Workshop

Date: February 5–8, 2025
Location: ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany

Workshop Format and Expectations

The workshop will be structured as follows:

• Presentations, open roundtable discussions, panels, & workshops: Participants may share specific case studies or projects, followed by discussions.
• Collaborative problem solving: Small group sessions will tackle key challenges in new media art archiving, with participants contributing their expertise to develop practical solutions. 

Participation Requirements

Applicants should submit the following:

• Letter of Intent: A brief letter (up to 500 words) outlining the applicant's experience or interest in new media art archiving.
• Short CV or Professional Bio (150-200 words)
• Description of Contribution: A concise description (up to 500 words) of the proposed contribution, 
• Type of Contribution: (e.g., presentation, open roundtable discussion, panel, or workshop). 
• Optional: Website or Portfolio URL 

Submission Deadline

To participate in the workshop, please complete the submission form by October 10, 2024: 

SUBMISSION FORM

For any further questions, please contact us at: 
collection-and-archives@zkm.de 

 Join the Workshop and share your knowledge of new media art archiving!